Боссы ищут сотрудников с критическим мышлением, но что это такое?

Re: Боссы ищут сотрудников с критическим мышлением, но что это такое?

от Евгений Волков -
Количество ответов: 0
WILLIAM JONES
WILLIAM JONES3 days ago

Solves problems efficiently, autonomously, and correctly. In my experience case interviews are the best (or least worst) way to test for this ability.

JUSTIN WELLS
JUSTIN WELLSOct 30, 2014

In my experience, managers confuse critical thinking with the ability to think quickly on your feet.  I find that shallow answers presented quickly and forcefully carry more weight than thoughtful answers delivered later and with less force.


I think a lot of critical thinkers are quieter and less forceful, but managers tend to find candidates with this personality less attractive than those with big and driving personalities... hence, you're likely not getting those critical thinkers you seek in to your organization.

Douglas Berg
Douglas BergOct 30, 2014

Most of the execs I worked for hadn't had a creative or critical thought bounce around between their  ears in years.  Ill read, ill spoke, ill thought, unfocused, often unintelligible.  When you came up with something creative or exercised some critical thinking, they were grossly discomforted.

Steven Chen
Steven ChenOct 27, 2014

The universe is the answer, the trick is to ask the right questions from many angles.

Michael Baldridge
Michael BaldridgeOct 23, 2014

Working with an MBA program we introduced a CT class as a test.  It was open to students in their last semester as an elective.  The problem was the program was training students to "memorize and regurgitate" up to that last class.  They could fill out a spreadsheet but couldn't tell you what do to with the numbers.  We introduced a conceptual problem with no numbers involved.  Two simple parallel lines going up at about 20 degrees from horizontal  We told them one was sales and one was costs of sales and asked them what the problem was with that situation, what the 3 potential strategies were, and some recommendations on how to implement those strategies. After 3 weeks they were to come back to class in their teams and discuss their progress.  Every group spent their entire time looking for data on that market and didn't bother thinking about the issue. A suggestion to help improve this is to teach coding.  You have to think the problem through before you can code the software.

Lewis Hollweg
Lewis HollwegOct 23, 2014

Having spent 40 years as a consulting psychologist to senior management on the acquisition and development of talent, I found that the executive definition of critical thinking varied widely depending on the industry, the company culture and the individual speaking. Not with standing the variety of types of thinking (verbally, numerically, abstractly, etc.), I like the definition that Elliot Jaques (psychiatist, psychologist and business consultant) described years ago in his research. He called it Time Span and, in summary terms, it consisted of 2 major factors: complexity of thinking and how far into the future the person can anticipate consequences. This Time Span capacity is not highly correlated with intelligence measures although it likely requires some minimum level. It is does require curiosity and openness of thinking. My experience is that if you are low on this characteristic it is a difficult to see or evaluate this capacity in others. Clearly, there is much more to understand and define about critical thinking and I would encourage those who are interested to google Elliot Jaques and read his work on Time Span.

Carla Cochran
Carla CochranOct 26, 2014

@Lewis Hollweg Thank you for making this post.  "Time Span" seems to be what the UTA-educated nurse lacks. (New York: Quarantined Nurse Lashes Out After She Tests Negative for Ebola  Kaci Hickox Says She Was Made to Feel Like a Criminal While Being Detained at Newark Airport  WSJ 10-25-14)  I'm sending your post on to Vivian Lail-Davis of UTA's research program.  I am UTA nsg, Class of 1985

Judith Nusbaum
Judith NusbaumOct 23, 2014

Employers who want to hire critical thinkers, but who can't define critical thinking, are expressing a "wish" rather than a goal or an objective.  First they should carefully define what they are looking for in behavioral terms.  Then they have a reasonable chance of sifting candidates to find those skills.

Mike Sandifer
Mike SandiferOct 23, 2014

Stop looking for critical thinking in the minimum wage worker. You get what you pay for.

Joseph Ferri
Joseph FerriOct 23, 2014

College courses in logic and philosophy helped me become a skeptical inquirer. High school science classes used to include mention of inductive and deductive methods of inquiry. Undergraduate and graduate courses in statistics may at least equip students with the critical ability to distinguish between various averages (mean, median, and mode). The ability to resist or suspect logical fallacies might not be present before high school, but it can be impaired by public school systems, and undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools that emphasizes political correctness to the point where rational discussion and truth-seeking are discouraged. This, to me, is the greatest threat and tragedy facing our nation (i.e., the growing inability and unwillingness to discern the truth or even consider how one knows what they think they know). 

Will Erickson
Will EricksonOct 23, 2014

@Joseph Ferri


Very important point, Joseph. Thank you. 

Howard Zinn, author of the most widely used American History book, 'A People's History of the United States', (Zinn is an ex-Communist Party member who left the Party because it was not revolutionary enough for him.) writes in the book "Objectivity is not possible, and if it were possible, it would not be desirable." This historian in not interested in history, but "revolution".

Similarly, 'Afrocentrism', taught in our universities teaches our students the logic and reason are tools of the 'white man' that keep blacks subjugated. 

Critical thinking does not fit the PC agenda. In fact, it is the enemy, or rather, that antidote of it.

ROBERT SUNDAHL
ROBERT SUNDAHLOct 23, 2014

The problem that the writer has (and apparently recruiters who are trying to hire people with this skill) is that she has not been exposed to critical thinking processes, except as an abstract concept.  
There are many disciplines where critical thinking is taught in a particular context, Medicine, law, Engineering, Plumbing, ,, are all professions where a successful practitioner learns to look at problems, analyze them and develop solutions constrained by many external limits. Lawyers seem to be in a surplus supply right now. I would hire somebody with a law degree and put him/her to work on any problem requiring critical thinking. 

James Merlotti
James MerlottiOct 23, 2014

In my experience, critical thinking is visionary thinking.....it requires a solid/expert understanding of current state and the ability to visualize improved future state.  This is true across disciplines....be it management/organizational, technical/scientific, financial, creative,  physical/sports, political, military, etc.  The broader perspective you have across different disciplines, the better....

Richard Startzman
Richard StartzmanOct 23, 2014

I was teaching at University when some faculty proposed that we offer a course in critical thinking. As the issue was studied we came across some literature that strongly suggested that critical thinking comes with age and experience. That's probably why older people notice deficiencies in this area in the young.

The proposal was dropped as we became aware that it was a skill that would probably be hard to teach in a classroom setting.

The lack of critical thinking often results in bad decisions. But too much critical thinking can result in no decisions at all as the critical thinkers think of all the things that can go wrong.

David D. Wong
David D. WongOct 22, 2014

One strategy that some bad managers have is to ask a million questions to defer from making difficult decision.  IMO, critical thinking / problem solving is the ability to ask pertinent questions and get the answers to solve a problem.  Some details will have very little to do with the problem or solution.  They will not be a "deal breaker."  

Bruce Ryman
Bruce RymanOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking is the application of data driven skills combined with the common sense of either experience or mentoring by parents and others.

If the current generation has not mastered math, they won't understand Statistics, and won't then be able to use statistical assessment as a building block of critical thinking

If the current generation has not mastered both verbal and written communications skills, they won't be able to articulate a thought, idea or assessment

If the current generation has not absorbed a proper work and social ethic from their parents they won't be able to add personal positive value considerations

And without a good mix of the above, how can there be critical thinking and output?

David Cousins
David CousinsOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking means if you are out at a party, get drunk, and take photos. Don't post them on Facebook.

Eric Schudy
Eric SchudyOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking to me has a very straight forward definition. It is the ability to come to a conclusion based upon salient facts and logical thinking, AND communicate those thoughts in a clear manner. This is what is sorely lacking, in my opinion, even among the experts.

Steve Wyatt
Steve WyattOct 22, 2014

"Thinking about your thinking, while you're thinking, in order to improve your thinking.”


HUH?  Is this really serious? 


Here is a working definition of critical thinking:


(1) Make timely and logical use of available information when making a decision; and

(2) recognize the inherent limitations of  both the information and logic used to arrive at your decision. 


In short, make timely and sensible decisions based on available facts, but recognize that as we have have more facts decisions can change. 

Eduardo Alvarez
Eduardo AlvarezOct 22, 2014

@Steve Wyatt Yes a touchy feely useless definition

David Cousins
David CousinsOct 22, 2014

@Steve Wyatt You mean I have to work and think. I thought I would be texting my friends all day and get paid for it. Who'd a Thunk.

ROBERT SUNDAHL
ROBERT SUNDAHLOct 23, 2014

@Steve Wyatt You left out several steps

1. DEFINE THE PROBLEM! 

2. Gather data - from as many sources as available - avoid proposing solutions, it only biases the data. 

3. Identify causes

4. Propose alternatives

5. choose a solution

6. Implement

7. Evaluate result

1..... 

CARL TAYLOR
CARL TAYLOROct 22, 2014

Looking at it from a tech project standpoint, I see answers and solutions.


One requirement may be to calculate interest on a 30/360 basis.  The answer to that is pretty simple.  However, if there is a possibility that other accrual methods will be used in the future, would not a better solution to the requirement be to design functionality that was flexible enough to accommodate future accrual requirements?


I view providing the answer to be problem solving while providing the solution would be critical thinking.

WILLIAM ABBOTT
WILLIAM ABBOTTOct 22, 2014

An accountant who doesn't file accurate tax returns or understand the need for financial statement thoroughness is not fit to be an accountant.

By social definition, an accountant is highly focused on accuracy. 

GOPAL VENKAT
GOPAL VENKATOct 22, 2014

@WILLIAM ABBOTT , then again those are the folks that worked on the ENRON account for AA !

WILLIAM ABBOTT
WILLIAM ABBOTTOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking is about using chaos/game theory and your problem at hand.  As a cab driver, what do  you do when your passenger starts talking about chest pains and you are 2 minutes from the nearest hospital - but that isn't your original intended destination.  Do you stop and call 911 or simply take him there or do both. 

What should the tax preparer/accountant do when looking at raw invoices or a transaction listing and trying to determine the correct classification and treatment of an economic event.  Is this transaction a payment for  services or products purchased.  Is it payment of a liability. Any notification that an asset was purchased and a liability established?. 

Critical thinking is connecting the dots and making an informed educated decision  (guess) about what to do.  Quarterbacks and emergency personnel are taught critical thinking.  One thing, they don't work well in a mass- processing, assembly type environment.  And yes, they will take on current leaders

Fred Smith
Fred SmithOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking comes from experience in a variety of settings.  The person 25 years into the same firm will not have the same critical thinking capabilities that a person who has spent time at five or six different companies.  While the smartest 'fresh-outs' can certainly bring new ideas, often these ideas are way over the top to be realistic.  By best out-of-the-box thinkers are people who have spent time in start-ups AND big firms and have been in the world for more than ten or 15 years.

Joe Aveni
Joe AveniOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking develops when a person has a combination of "emotional intelligence" and keen social skills.


Both of these skill are lacking in today's educational model.


Our current education model is restricting our children in the developmental years "primary middle school years,"  with to much of a focus on grading and test taking skills, strict time schedules, building up their autonomy and over-protecting their self-esteem.


This is problem is happening in both the home and school environment,

and spelling a disaster for the child's personal development when using critical thinking skills.

Manuel Joseph
Manuel JosephOct 22, 2014

I think that critical thinkers are more needed in start-up community where they can challenge every move or decision they make in a daily business world. Instead in a larger community, as others mentioned below, they will be pushed out because the executives think that in a larger business organization it takes more than one critical thinker to move the whole block, sometimes incurs cost and greater change. The young lads may not have the long-term thinking that affects the company so executives question the risk involved.

Albert Connelly
Albert ConnellyOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking of the competition ... OK.

Critical of the actions of peers ... OK so long as you don't hurt their feelings.

Critical of the actions of the boss .... Maybe a little ... so long as you don't hurt their feelings

Critical of the actions of the corporate/bureaucratic leadership ................... NO

Critical of the corporate doctrine and plans ........................................................ BIG NO

Bryan Smith
Bryan SmithOct 22, 2014

You know Obama is not surrounded by "Critical Thinkers"

They all have long tongues, and have a taste for shoe leather...

Albert Connelly
Albert ConnellyOct 22, 2014

@Bryan Smith  TRUE. But please consider that in our hypersensitive society criticism, except the most gentle, is forbidden. And O having been rejected by his father, his mother, and his grandpa and is married to a person he sometimes calls Michael is most likely hyper-sensitive.

JOSEPH MICHAEL
JOSEPH MICHAELOct 22, 2014

@Bryan Smith  ...and brown noses.

Fred Smith
Fred SmithOct 22, 2014

@Bryan Smith a useless comment.

Eric Caplan
Eric CaplanOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking, like leadership, are skills that companies claim to desire but rarely do.  Those who think critically are threats to existing hierarchies. Those who are "natural" leaders are by their nature horrible followers.  Those who think critically and possess leadership abilities should be encouraged to start their own businesses, not-for-profits, or Charter Schools.  A job at Goldsmith Sachs or McKinsey would be a waste of their talents.


Bryan Smith
Bryan SmithOct 22, 2014

Critical Thinking requires you to think below the floor and above the ceiling. 

It literately means thinking outside the box, and taking all aspects of the "Situational" awareness of your view of your surroundings and expanding them beyond the walls.

It also means you have to admit your own failings, and shortcomings...which is very hard for managers to do!

Once you understand where you are weak in, and how to manifest a solution to the problem, then it is just a matter to implement the fix. It's all apart of game theory and Puzzle mastery at the same time.

Learning from failures, makes you stronger. Not acting on them, makes you weak!

Nicholas Rupert
Nicholas RupertOct 22, 2014

@Bryan Smith Critical Speakers/Leaders > Critical Thinkers

David Cousins
David CousinsOct 22, 2014

@Bryan Smith As one of my bosses once stated, "People are not judged by there failures, they are judge by their reaction to their failures."

Tad Schell
Tad SchellOct 22, 2014

"Critical thinking".. It seems like the term has been overused, kind of like "organic" and "user-friendly.

Some advice for graduates seeking jobs:

Remember, an employer is hiring you to solve problems for the employer, not the other way around.

Janice Kooken
Janice KookenOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking skills are counter cultural. People who have them are told they over analyze things, and this is not meant as a compliment. They recognize gaps in logic or places where the logical flow makes a wrong turn, even if it is slight. These gaps and turns can take the line of thinking, the argument, or the project way off target. Critical thinking skills involve criticizing. It takes skilled diplomacy to criticize without sounding judgmental and most people view judgmental people negatively. When the project or idea is being touted by someone who has power or popularity in an organization, the critical thinker can be labeled in negative ways and experience negative repercussions. For an example, read about Carmen Segarra and her work for the Federal Reserve.



DANIEL MAURO
DANIEL MAUROOct 22, 2014

I'll tell you where you won't find critical thinking:  The comment sections on the editorial page of the WSJ.  

judy smith
judy smithOct 30, 2014

@DANIEL MAURO -- Including yours I assume?  I disagree.  It's better than the usual curve -- there's a  rich variety of thought and perspective and plenty of really good stuff, along with all the rest.  

Will Kaydos
Will KaydosOct 22, 2014

The best recommendation I have heard regarding critical thinking came from Dr. Russell Ackoff, a recognized authority in Operations Research, who said anyone trying to solve a problem should ask themselves and others, "How do you know that what you say is so?" In other words, what is your basis for making a statement about a problem, a solution, a person, a proposal or an idea? If you don't have some facts, figures, research, analysis or other supporting evidence, you haven't done much thinking at all. All you have is an opinion, which anyone (especially politicians) can have about anything and everything.

walter hauschildt
walter hauschildtOct 22, 2014

"What that means, though--and how to measure it--is less clear. Employers complain that colleges are not producing graduates who can solve problems and connect the dots on complex issues, but bosses stumble when pressed to describe exactly what skills make critical thinkers. "

it's I.Q. stupid.

Alonzo Quijana
Alonzo QuijanaOct 22, 2014

"Critical thinking" is just a fancy way of saying "common sense."


Example: An ER doctor sees a patient presenting with chills, vomiting, a 103 fever, and recent travel to Liberia.  A doctor using his or her "critical thinking" skills (common sense) might consider admitting the patient to an isolation ward.  

JOHN OLSTAD
JOHN OLSTADOct 22, 2014

@Alonzo Quijana  .EXACTLY!!

DAVID WOODBURY
DAVID WOODBURYOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking used to include the disciplines of formal and informal logic.  Formal logic deals with forming valid propositions, while informal logic teaches how to detect and classify flaws in propositions.


Well known decades ago, few people today are familiar with the syllogism, or fallacies like red herring, slippery slope, ad-hominem, and so on.


Today, what people call critical thinking is much more like computer logic and mathematical reasoning.  Important skills for sure, but in the words of Mr. Desmaris of Goldman, "we don't expect new hires to propose changes ... on firm-wide strategy."


Without the old critical thinking skills, very few new hires would be equipped to do so.

john hays
john haysOct 22, 2014

While there are always exceptions to the rule, in general, new college graduates don't have the life experience to be good critical thinkers.  Critical thinking skills come over time and are finely tuned as a person gains life experience.  The basic fundamentals of how to "think" and work through a problem will be evident in a younger employee, but they do not know what they do not know. Often times life experience enhances critical thinking ability.

Patrick Reynolds
Patrick ReynoldsOct 22, 2014

Seeking causes and determining effects - critical thinking!

Josef Rosenfeld
Josef RosenfeldOct 22, 2014

years ago Arthur C Clarke wrote a story involving a person on a space ship who was a member of a 'thinking' corps.  


Members of this 'thinking corps' were supposed to observe and remember things.  No one really knew their purpose.


The space ship was on a planet and the crew was suffering from a myriad of totally unrelated issues.  


This person was able to link together all these unrelated issues and conclude the cause of the problem and managed to save the ship and crew.


I think that being able to look at, to what most people would see as, totally random and unrelated data points and make connections that are productive would be a good definition of critical thinking.


Our biggest danger will be if artificial intelligence becomes able to do this, and act on its conclusions before we are able to pull the plug.

Bernard Levine
Bernard LevineOct 22, 2014

QUOTE: Behavioral interview prompts, such as "Talk about how you handled working with a difficult person,”


I paid $50 to have his kneecaps broken. I've got the video right here on my smart phone, Wanna see it? 



Michael Bergbauer
Michael BergbauerOct 22, 2014

use common sense thinking to find out what critical thinking is.

Julius Klein
Julius KleinOct 22, 2014

It means just using your brain to apply the disparate information you pick up in your life to solve problems, big and small - we used to call it dexterity, mental agility, etc - it is helped by not having pre-conceived notions about how things are but instead how they should be and understanding root cause analysis.  Today's "google" type knowledge (a mile wide, but microscopically thick) need not apply. 

Nicki McDonald
Nicki McDonaldOct 22, 2014

"forming your own opinion from a variety of different sources.” Liberals need not apply.

Daniel Martinez
Daniel MartinezOct 22, 2014

Ms Nagengast seems to constrain herself by wanting young workers.  If young job applicants tend to have the attention span of a gnat, why not give older applicants a whirl? 

And Linda Elder is right on the money in her observation to the effect that challenging the status quo is taboo in many work settings.  Procedures in virtually every private enterprise could be improved without breaking the budget or interrupting work flow; but ordinary laziness, intellectual complacency and tender egos tend to be insurmountable barriers to improvement.

Koti Ravi Kiran Chalasani
Koti Ravi Kiran ChalasaniOct 22, 2014

I am an Operations Research person, so may be I am biased, but for me critical thinking meant establishing absolute and defining exactly.  But first I need to decide what I am establishing, then I apply my mind.  I think it is a very necessary skill in Finance/risk management, to get around the BS of the complex instrument and establish the essence of the instrument. улыбаюсь.   I am sure critical thinking is an essential life skill, but this is one area that I find it to be useful.

perry glasser
perry glasserOct 22, 2014

It means "be smart."  
HR departments can't say 'we want smart employees'--it is politically unacceptable. 
Universities can't say 'we educate people to be smart'--because education is about filling vessels, but intelligence is about the size and shape of the vessel, not its creation.

Will Eigo
Will EigoOct 22, 2014

Critical thinking and meaningful usage of such : A non-reluctant capacity to use both a conventional and contrarian opened minded thought process ( go 360 degrees efficiently and suitably thoroughly ) while working towards an innovative, defensible forward leaning data and logic supported solution that favors superior practicality over an obsession for perfect information and absolute academic outcomes.

DAVID HALEY
DAVID HALEYOct 22, 2014

They need to learn how to play chess.  You must think about many future moves and consequences of each move in advance.

JERRY KURTYKA
JERRY KURTYKAOct 22, 2014

It. Is hard to think critically in tweets.

DAN RYAN
DAN RYANOct 22, 2014

Not necesaarily #narrowview

Walter Towner
Walter TownerOct 22, 2014

The Axiomatic Design Method, developed by Prof. Nam Suh of MIT, is what I teach my industrial and mechanical engineers as well as my Foisie School of Business MBA students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute about critical thinking. 

Solution neutral environment. 

Axiom one: maximize the independence of the functional elements. Axiom two: minimize the information content (Shannon's information theory). 

It is all you need to work through any problem in the world, engineering or otherwise. 

I can demonstrate if you desire! fabman@wpi.edu.

Walter Towner PhD MBA

Steven Harrison
Steven HarrisonOct 22, 2014

@Walter Towner 

Sounds like you encapsulate the detail that would otherwise pollute the solution environment with information in discrete elements. We refer to that as "object-oriented" in IT.

Kirth Gersen
Kirth GersenOct 22, 2014

@Walter Towner Any suggested websites for intro to  Axiomatic Design Method ?

While it it sounds appealing, in my technical & proj mgmt engrg work i encounter MANY interdependencies.  

"maximize the independence" is a laudable goal but I dont encounter too many variables or elements that possess that attribute.

JOHN VOLK
JOHN VOLKOct 22, 2014

@Walter Towner While what you state may be true, it appears  to be more of an algorithm for problem solving, not a definition of critical thinking, which was the thrust of the article.


To me, critical thinking involves:


i) analysis of a situation or problem to identify the most critical issues,

ii) identification all possible responses to those issues,

iii) identification of the strengths and weaknesses of each possible responses as well as actions to strengthen or negate said responses

iv) preparation of a recommendation for the best possible respons(es), including a prioritization  and timeline of same,

v) the ability to synthesize and communicate all the foregoing in clear, concise language to a person who is not familiar with the issue and who has no grasp of the detail and technical aspects involved therein.


Walter, say hello to my friend David DiBiasio over in Chem. Eng. for me. улыбаюсь

Bernard Levine
Bernard LevineOct 22, 2014

@JOHN VOLK @Walter Towner


QUOTE: ii) identification all possible responses to those issues,


How many lifetimes does THAT take? 



Patrick Plemmons
Patrick PlemmonsOct 22, 2014

@JOHN VOLK @Walter Towner The communication piece of critical thinking is very, very important. The validation of any critical analysis is demonstrated by "clear, concise" communication. Without trying to define critical thinking, I believe most people would agree that one of its most famous practitioners would be the fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Critical thinking is the core skill necessary for success in so many vocations, but it is also vital to the health of our democracy. I believe a lack of critical thinking skills in large parts of our electorate has brought us our current dysfunctional political situation.   

William Hall
William HallOct 22, 2014

I honed my critical thinking skills after 10 years in the Navy through my attendance at the Armed Forces Staff College (AFSC).  The AFSC prepares mid-level officers to fill key positions on military staffs where these officers are expected to prepare Decision or Briefing memos for senior officers, such as the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, or any of the 4 star officers assigned to CinC duties.


The staff officer had to condense an issue for decision or briefing paper into two pages.  There might be background or supporting data that accompanied the decision or briefing paper, but the objective for the individual who was being briefed or asked to make a decision was to only need to read the two pages provided.  That requires the author to get to the point immediately, clearly and succinctly with a minimum of unnecessary words.  Not unlike what I also learned in law school where I had to be prepared to argue for or against every issue put in front of me.

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